


A Little Bit To The Left

by VillainVogue



Series: The Other Side(s) [1]
Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Gen, POV Canon Character, Roleswap
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-27
Updated: 2020-08-11
Packaged: 2021-03-05 22:53:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 10,653
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25553119
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VillainVogue/pseuds/VillainVogue
Summary: Roman leaves after Janus' name reveal wishing that things could be different. He should've been a little more specific. (Or: Roman gets a glimpse of what could have been, in another world)
Relationships: Creativity | Roman "Princey" Sanders & Logic | Logan Sanders, Creativity | Roman "Princey" Sanders & Morality | Patton Sanders
Series: The Other Side(s) [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1852681
Comments: 63
Kudos: 70





	1. Creativity

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Roman wakes up in a room that both is and isn't his.

Roman isn't quite sure when he finally manages to fall asleep. He's been tossing and turning, replaying the last words he exchanged with Deceit--no, _Janus_ \--and wishing, wishing, _wishing_ that none of it had happened the way it did. That he hadn't chosen the wedding, or that he hadn't let Remus get the jump on him, or that he'd never let them split at all--Roman wishes a lot of things, but mostly he wishes for things to be _different_.

And when he wakes up, things are indeed very different.

His room is a mess, which is not unusual, but the bedspread is mint green and the walls are painted into murals of gorgeous landscapes--forest, meadow, oceanfront, mountain. All of his Disney and Broadway posters are gone, his bed isn't a four-poster anymore, and his sword isn't in its usual spot. Instead, there's a cutlass leaning against the vanity.

Roman frowns, wanting to chalk this up to some kind of weird practical joke (or perhaps a strange attempt at an apology?), because he doesn't want to think about what it means if his room has changed because Thomas' perception of him has changed...

No, he can get everything in here back to normal, surely. Back to the way it was before. It'll take him all day and most of tomorrow, because he'll want to clean up too, but that just gives him an excuse to avoid the others for a little while beyond 'shame and embarrassment', so. That's a win, right? He'll take it. He needs every victory he can get.

Thus begins the process of getting ready to face the day--except Roman's wardrobe has not been spared these odd changes, either. Everything that should be red is green, and none of it is what he usually wears. His sash appears to be gone completely.

At least now he knows that this is a trick--no way would Thomas' mind change so drastically as to switch his signature color for the shades of green that Remus favors. But the knowing doesn't restore his sash to its rightful place. Or his sword. Or his pride.

...Well, his pride's been misplaced for a long time, anyway.

Roman finds some plain black trousers, throws on one of the shirts without any ruffles around the collar, rolls up the impractically flowy sleeves as best he can, and gets to work sifting through the sketches and scribbled notes that litter the floor.

The first thing that strikes him is that none of the notes are ideas he remembers writing, and the second thing that strikes him is that _none of it is in his handwriting_.

No, this is not Roman's looping and fanciful script. It's a messier scrawl, swift, harsh, uneven strokes that take up too much room. _Remus_.

...Except the content isn't what he'd expected of Remus at all. It's a list of things he wants to add to a castle (since when did Remus have his own castle?), with logistical issues to consider for each item (since when did Remus make careful plans?), countered with the possible benefits for the imaginary citizens of his kingdom (since when did Remus care about the comfort and happiness of others?).

Roman doesn't have enough evidence yet to accuse Janus of rearranging his room like this, but this list alone rules out his brother entirely. Remus couldn't fake this sort of thing if he tried. This is Roman's kind of creativity; it's wholesome, it's structured, it's _good_.

He picks up a sketch and stares--it's a messy outline of some grim-faced hero about to charge into a raging battle. A touch more realistic than Roman's usual work, as far as he can tell from the faint splotches of ink that look like they might be bloodstains, but too tame in its subject matter for Remus's liking, he thinks. It's baffling, how much work has seemingly gone into all of this. When did Janus even have the time to _do_ it?

A knock at his door shakes him out of his musings, and though he'd rather pretend to still be sleeping, he calls out to whoever's on the other side. He hopes it'll be someone who can make this make sense.

"Who is it?"

There's a pause, and then, quiet: "...It's Logan."

Well, Roman thinks, if there's one person who can help him figure all this out, and who would actually be sympathetic to his situation (for once!), it's Logan. So, Roman steels himself, opens the door, and--

...It's not Logan at all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I should be working on the sequel to The Sanders Archives but I had this idea while I was writing TSA and I couldn't let it go WHOOPS


	2. Deceit

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Not-Logan sheds some light on the reality of Roman's situation, but not much.

_It's not Logan at all._

...Except he still _looks_ like Logan, mostly, as far as Roman can tell with sunglasses and the upturned collar of his long black trenchcoat obscuring his face. But the striped necktie couldn't belong to anyone but Logan, so it must _be_ Logan, but why is he dressed like a secret agent out of an action movie? And why does he look so surprised to see--

" _Roman_. I was... definitely expecting you to answer the door." Logan clears his throat, and fiddles with the question-mark pin on his tie--and Roman can tell now that it _is_ Logan, how could he ever think otherwise, no-one else fusses like Logan--and then he tries to look over Roman's shoulder into the room.

Roman leans over to block his view. Just because it's still Logan doesn't mean something isn't off, and Roman's not about to share what's happened until he's sure he can trust the Side in front of him. Logan adopts a sheepish expression once he realizes Roman's not going to let him see into his room just yet, which looks even more out-of-place on his face than the practically opaque sunglasses he's wearing.

"I should probably apologize to you as well, since you're here. After all, it's not like I knew full well that being compared to your brother is unpleasant for you, and I shouldn't have--"

"But you have nothing to apologize for!" Roman interrupts, skipping over the question of _'where else would I be if not here'_ to focus on what he deems an even stranger statement. "Janus was the one who said it, not you, you weren't even there at that point."

Logan frowns, and pulls his coat tighter around himself. "...I know you likely weren't paying too much attention to the conversation after the wedding, and I _don't_ believe that you're capable of accurately recalling what happened--no, sorry. Let me say what I mean. You surely _do_ remember, but I would appreciate hearing your version of everything that transpired. Specifically the last few minutes of conversation. If you would indulge me?"

It's Roman's turn to frown, now, because Logan sounds like that _slimy snake_ , but he complies. "Janus told us his name, and I reacted... childishly. To say the least. And then he insulted me, and I left."

There's a pause, and suddenly Logan's lunged forward to take Roman's face in his hands, turning it side to side. Roman squeaks, and tries to pull away, but Logan holds fast for a moment longer.

"What are you doing?" Roman protests, and Logan finally lets him go.

"Checking to make sure you don't have a concussion, because you're making even less sense than usual. And I know the Imagination is the absolute _pinnacle_ of safety, and I know how _careful_ you are on your little excursions there." The sarcasm--and fondness-in Logan's tone throws him for a loop, and Logan seems to take his silence as permission to continue.

"Tell me--What is your role in the Mindscape, Roman?"

Roman gives him a quizzical look, but Logan folds his arms, indicating that he won't budge until he gets a response. Roman sighs.

"Creativity, duh. I don't have a concussion, Specs! You and Pat are the ones who got hurt yesterday, not me. Honestly, _I_ should be worried about _you_."

Logan's frown deepens. "...Well. You're not lying--at least, you don't _think_ you are..."

Roman's expression shifts to match Logan's, but before he can ask what the hell _that_ means, Logan raises a dark blue-gloved finger, and Roman falls into silence.

"Let's test something, shall we? Roman, please tell me what Deceit's actual name is."

Roman groans, the memory of his mockery fresh in his mind now. "It's Janus."

Logan startles, and his glasses slip down his nose to reveal his eyes, which are--

"Uh, Logan, why are your eyes glowing?" Roman tries to back up, but ends up bumping against the closed door to his room--when did he step out? When did it close? So many questions, and no answers forthcoming, it would seem, because Logan merely pushes his sunglasses back up to hide his strange new robot eyes (robot eyes!!!!), grabs Roman by the wrist, and starts to drag him down the hallway.

"Seriously, are you okay? Is this because of yesterday, did Deceit--did Janus hurt you? Did he do something to your eyes?" There's a panicked edge to Roman's voice now, because nothing is making sense, and Logan, _Logic_ , is supposed to _make sense_. They stop abruptly, Logan spinning on his heel to face Roman.

He stares at Roman for a long moment, his eyes flashing beneath the dark lenses of his glasses just brightly enough for Roman to see, before he speaks.

"Roman... Janus isn't Deceit. _I_ am. A-and it's _absolutely fine_ that you genuinely remember things differently. There's no need to panic. Don't panic. Just... Let me take you to someone who might be able to help. Please."

The admission stuns Roman into silence, his mind reeling as Logan takes his hand more gently this time and continues to guide him down the hall.

They stop at a dark wooden door with a pane of frosted glass at the top. There's a notice posted beside it that reads "Office Hours By Appointment Only", which makes Roman think of Thomas' college days, and an official-looking sign on the door itself reading 'CAUTION: HAZARDOUS MATERIALS PRESENT. UNAUTHORIZED ENTRY NOT PERMITTED' in large, block lettering.

Logan knocks, briskly, and after a long moment, the door opens--just a fraction, but enough for Roman to catch a glimpse of messy hair and purple-and-black-and-white clothing.

"I have the signs up for a reason, you know." Says not-Virgil, raising his safety goggles to squint at them from the doorway. His tone is measured, even, too much so for it to sound quite like him. There's no trace of his usual emo makeup as far as Roman can tell, but he's pale with dark bags under his eyes all the same.

"And I apologize for the intrusion, of course, but we have a... situation." Logan responds coolly, and his lip twitches in a way that suggests he's trying not to sneer. "Roman, could you tell me what Virgil's function is, according to your memory?"

Roman blinks. "Uh... Anxiety?"

Virgil's mouth opens, but Logan continues smoothly. "Thank you. And what was mine, again?"

"...Well, it's _supposed_ to be Logic." Roman grimaces, feeling as though he's being given a pop quiz on a subject he's never studied. There's a long moment of silence before Virgil finally finds his voice again.

"Okay, what the _fuck_."


	3. Logic

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Logan enlists not-Virgil's aid in finding an explanation for Roman's (apparently) conflicting memories.

_"Okay, what the **fuck**."_

Roman levels a glare at 'Virgil' and Logan. "Can someone explain to me what's going on here?"

Logan sighs. "Yes, I was hoping _you_ could do that, Virgil. Roman's account of what happened yesterday is _completely in line_ with my own recollections, and yours, I assume, but he believes what he's said to be true. I already ruled out the possibility of a concussion, so... Any theories, Logic?"

Virgil narrows his eyes--and yes, even though _technically_ they all have the same face, that exact expression of irritation and suspicion could only belong to Virgil. "Not without more information, obviously."

"So..." Logan lowers his sunglasses to his nose and raises an eyebrow expectantly.

Virgil sighs. "Fine. Roman can come in. _You_ can wait out here, or I'll call you when I figure it out. Okay? Okay."

Logan frowns, and is about to respond when Virgil's arm shoots out and drags Roman inside Logic's room. The door shuts behind them, muffling an indignant shout from Logan, and Virgil leans back against it, crossing his arms in front of him.

Now Roman has a good look at what Virgil's wearing--a rumpled lavender button-up, a undone white-and-black striped necktie, a slightly stained lab coat with a stylized lightning-bolt logo emblazoned on the upper left. The aesthetic, to Roman's eyes, is half 'mad scientist' and half college professor (not the stuffy old kind, obviously, but the kind that would sit on his desk during lectures and/or ask students to call him by his first name--you know, the _cool_ teacher).

"First of all, don't touch _anything_. Keep your hands where I can see them." Virgil glares at him, and Roman is quick to raise his hands in surrender.

"Second, if this is some kind of elaborate practical joke on Logan for indirectly insulting you yesterday; one, that's kind of disproportionate retribution, but two, I want in. He was a total dick to me yesterday--oh, and don't tell Jan or Pat that I swore, okay? I'll give you five bucks and some firecrackers if you keep quiet. Just, y'know, don't set 'em off around me, and not in here. Obviously."

"It was Janus that insulted me." Roman says, because that's about all he has to latch onto at this point.

Virgil tilts his head. "Good to know. When was that, exactly?"

"Wh--it was right after his name reveal! That was _really recent_ , Man On The 'Virge' of a Nervous Breakdown, c'mon!" Roman sounds desperate to his own ears, but Virgil just shakes his head, moving to perch on his desk and leaf through an old day planner.

"Let's see, his name reveal was... A long time ago." He holds it up for Roman to see, written in blocky letters: 'JANUS NAME REVEAL' on May 1st, 2017. (Underneath it, in smaller letters, it reads: ' _apology/congratulations gift for J? maybe a bouquet? if so, consult R on flower language before assembling_ ', but Roman doesn't have time to think about that before the book is whisked away again and Virgil continues talking)

"So, yeah, that happened before you were revealed. Which means there's almost no way he insulted you at that point--at least, not on purpose. I can pull the tapes, if you want, but I can't promise--"

Virgil's still talking but the ringing in Roman's ears is too loud for him to hear anything else. He's reeling. Virgil is Logic, Logan is Deceit, and Roman wasn't even revealed to Thomas until recently, which means _he's_ \--

"--unhelpful, and our time would be better spent... Roman? Are you still listening?"

He shakes his head, but it doesn't help the heavy feeling under his skull or the heat creeping into his face. "This isn't happening, this can't be real."

With those words, Logan pops into existence beside him, and Virgil facepalms.

"Why do I even bother putting up signs..." Virgil grouses, eliciting a huff of disbelief from Logan.

"Honestly, I would've thought you could do the math here, you're supposed to be Logic, after all." He adjusts his dark blue gloves, lips pursed, and Roman, in the midst of his panicking, idly wonders when Logan learned to use idioms. "I mean, It's not like Roman was _lying to himself out loud_ just now. Denial absolutely _isn't_ part of my domain, you know."

Virgil hums in thought, though the set of his shoulders is still defensive. "Okay, seriously, I need you to ease up with the sarcasm and hyperbole and quit wasting my time, so we can get to the bottom of this. What's he denying, exactly? 'This' is a pretty vague statement. I need specifics here, Baron."

"I'm not _him!_ " Roman all but yells, tempted to pull at his hair in frustration. "I'm not the Duke, o-or the Baron, or whatever _he_ calls himself! All of this is wrong! All of it, literally everything!"

He gestures wildly around at the three of them, at Virgil's immaculate laboratory-slash-office, at the door leading outside to the hallway that is not, cannot be of Roman's own Mindscape. He realizes it now, is ready to admit to himself that _this is not his world_.

Virgil and Logan seem to reach the same conclusion at the same time with matching gasps of realization, but before either of them can speak, Roman's out the door. He needs air, he needs space, he needs something more familiar, he needs--

"Oh!"

\--to watch where he's going, apparently. He winces, looking down at the scuffed and worn-out shoes of the Side he's just bumped into. By Poseidon's trident, he hopes it isn't Janus--it couldn't get much worse than that, he thinks. There's only one other Side he really doesn't want to see right now...

And of course, because Roman's luck is terrible, he looks up to see that very Side in front of him.

"Uh... You okay, kiddo?"


	4. Anxiety

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Not-Patton steps in to keep Roman from freaking out too badly.

_"Uh... You okay, kiddo?"_

The voice is Patton's, but the outfit is not--well, not quite. Roman wouldn't have thought black was even in Patton's wardrobe, but the black cat sweater not-Patton is wearing would beg to differ, apparently, though the collar of a light blue polo shirt is peeking out from the neckline, along with an embroidered patch that looks like it might be a rain cloud. This Patton is sporting the same furrowed-brow and wide-eyed look of concern that Roman knows well from his best friend.

Or perhaps it's 'former best friend', now. Not that the distinction matters right now, since this is not his Patton anyway.

This Patton is still staring at him, like a deer in the headlights, hands worrying at the sleeve of his hoodie. Roman must not have responded quick enough, because this Patton decides to fill the awkward silence.

"I, uh, I sensed that something was _off_ over in this direction, so I thought I'd see if anyone needed help... I mean, I know yesterday was rough, so..." He trails off, seeming to crumple in on himself as he does. His gaze flickers between the floor, the wall, the ceiling, but never directly at Roman.

"Something off how?" Roman finds himself asking, if only for something to say.

Patton laughs--sort of. It's more of a huff of breath, holding more cynicism than Roman would've thought possible for the Patton he knows. "Heck if I know, kiddo. I just get vague _feelings_ , y'know? But, uh, you seem upset, so I figure it must've been..."

He raises a hand, briefly, to wave at Roman's entire self, then stops suddenly.

"Not that I mean to imply you're a problem! Oh my gosh, that sounded so bad, I'm so sorry! Please don't take it that way, I'm just awful with words right now..." Patton covers his face with his hands, cringing away from him.

"No, hey, it's okay." Roman raises his hands in what he hopes comes across as a placating gesture. It's strange to be the one providing comfort to Patton, when yesterday it had been the other way around--well, sort of. Patton had tried, at least, but Roman had shut him out. "I'm having a really weird day, that's all."

Patton lowers his hands a little, and Roman can see his face is scrunched up in confusion. "I thought every day was a weird day with you--uh, sorry. Again... No offense."

"None taken." He shrugs. It's not like Patton's actually talking about him. Oh, Artemis and Apollo, is he at risk of running into this universe's version of himself, out here in the hallway? He doesn't want to know what that Roman--the Baron--is like, because what if he's like Remus, what if he's _worse_ \--

A warm hand lands on his back, rubbing comforting circles there. Patton--some things don't change, apparently.

"Hey, just breathe. Just focus on breathing. Deep breaths, kiddo. I, uh, I hope this is okay? A-and that it's okay I called you 'kiddo' again?"

Roman smiles, an actual smile. "Yeah. Thanks, padre."

Patton laughs at that, a nervous sort of giggle this time, like he's unused to the nickname--or at least, unused to hearing it from Roman. "You're really having an off day, aren't you? I-I don't mean to laugh, it's just a reflex, I'm not making fun of you. And I, uh, I know you're probably still upset with me for leaving--which is fair! Totally fair. But... if you wanna talk about it...?"

Roman tilts his head back, still smiling despite himself. "Where would I even _begin?_ "

Patton nods, a knowing look in his eye even though he really can't empathize with Roman's predicament, not even if he was still Morality in this universe.

"If it's overwhelming you right now, my room might help. I mean, it never seemed to help you before, but we didn't really hang out that much before I left anyway--oh, sorry for bringing that up, I don't want to make you feel worse, sorry--but what I mean is, who knows if it'd be like that every time? And anyway, you seem... different, today, so, um. Maybe we should give it a shot, huh? I mean, I think it's worth trying, at least..."

Roman gives his assent at some point during Patton's rambling, and is guided through a door he hadn't noticed, into a room that somehow feels like the interior of a blanket fort. There are sky blue and white faerie lights strung up haphazardly, way too many stuffed animals on the bed and strewn about the floor, and the carpet is soft and squishy beneath Roman's bare feet. (it's only now, of course, that he realizes he forgot to put on socks and shoes this morning)

The tension drains out of him by inches, slowly but surely. Patton grabs some pillows from who-knows-where, arranges them neatly on the floor--then he re-arranges them several times until the setup is finally to his liking, and beckons Roman over to sit down.

It takes some hesitant coaxing from Patton (hesitant coaxing, what an oxymoron, but Patton seems to be full of contradictions across universes), but eventually Roman tells him everything--what he remembers from yesterday, how he'd woken up in a different version of his room and been greeted by an unfamiliar version of Logan. Patton's expression shifts to one of fear and confusion, and the room feels like it's shrinking in response, but Roman's on a roll now. He's just starting in on his newly-formed theory that he's been transported into some kind of alternate universe when there's a knock at the door.

Patton scrambles up, hesitating at the door until he seems to screw up his courage and open it, shuffling backwards to put some distance between himself and the new arrival.

"Sorry to bother you, Pat, but it's kind of an emergency--oh!"

The Side in the doorway blinks at him, suddenly frozen in place. Roman blinks back. If it weren't for the distinctive bowler hat, he thinks, he'd never have guessed who it was.

Janus' scale-less face morphs into a carefully neutral expression as he steps inside, shutting the door behind him.

The awkward silence that follows is deafening.


	5. Morality

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Not-Janus shows Roman something important, though he doesn't know it at the time.

_The awkward silence is deafening._

Janus is clearly waiting for one of them to say something, but as the silence stretches on, he seems to give in, posture just barely slumping as he sighs.

"Would either of you like to explain what's got Virgil and Logan searching the Mindscape in a panic?"

Roman, being in close proximity to Patton notices him tense up at the mention of Logan, but Janus seems to be standing too far away for it to catch his attention. Again, neither he nor Patton make any moves to respond, and Janus raises a white-gloved hand to pinch the bridge of his freckled nose.

"...Please? I just need to know what the problem is so I can help. I-I want to _help_. Please."

He seems so genuine, it's hard to believe that this is the same Janus that tore Roman's self-esteem to shreds with one careless sentence. But of course, that's the whole problem--it _isn't_ the same Janus.

So, Roman briefs him on the situation, explains his theory, and sits back to wait and see how Janus takes it. The Side in question draws in a deep breath, closes his eyes, and exhales. He finds his voice again after a long moment, keeping his eyes closed.

"...Patton?"

Patton, for his part, has been sitting very still--trying, perhaps, to go unnoticed. But when Janus calls his name, he nearly jumps out of his skin. "Ah! Uh, yeah, Janus, what's up?"

Janus clears his throat, and Roman watches his white-gloved fingers flex at his sides to start tapping out a rhythm on his leg. "Could you go retrieve Virgil and Logan, please?"

"Oh! Sure!" Patton dashes out the door, leaving Roman alone with Janus. Which is exactly what Roman didn't want, but it feels much too late to try and catch up to Patton now. Instead, all he can do is stare at this entirely different version of Janus, who is doing some kind of deep breathing exercise, and wrap his mind around the idea that this is not the Side who hurt him yesterday.

"Jiminy Cricket." He blurts out suddenly, his mouth moving faster than his mind (as it often does, he knows, _he knows_ ). Janus' brow furrows.

"Pardon me?"

"You kind of look like Jiminy Cricket. The outfit, I mean." Roman shrugs, trying to cover up his embarrassment, but it is the truth. Bowler hat (not Jiminy's top hat, but close enough), tailcoat, grey waistcoat, white gloves, sunshine-yellow cravat, and a golden pin on his lapel in the shape of a heart (with a matching bowler hat on it, of course)--it all adds up and creates a practically perfect picture with the clear implications that this Side is Thomas' Conscience.

Janus ducks his head, and it's hard to tell in the dim lighting of Anxiety's room, but Roman thinks he might be blushing. "Ah, well. Thomas does love Disney, so I suppose, subconsciously..."

Roman leans in, and sees that Janus' mouth is set in a thin line of obvious discomfort. Not blushing, then.

"Don't tell me you turned into a giant cricket yesterday instead of a frog like what happened with my Patton--" Roman almost laughs, but the way Janus' shoulders hitch up defensively causes the sound to die in his throat.

He cringes. He's done it again, put his foot straight in his mouth and insulted Janus in an awful, irreparable way--not the same Janus, but Janus nonetheless, and this one's probably worse because this one's _Morality_ , and what if he'd been carelessly cruel like that to _his Patton_ , made him cry? The walls feel like they're closing in, he can't breathe from _shame guilt shame_ \--

Suddenly there's a hand on his shoulder, and he jerks his head up to see those mismatched eyes up close, wide with worry.

"It's high time we get out of here. As you can tell, Patton's room can have a bit of a... suffocating effect on others, especially when he's not present."

Roman's gaze follows Janus' hand as it sweeps the room, and wow, okay, yeah, the walls were literally closing in, the billowy fabric hanging from the ceiling and creating a canopy draping lower. Close enough now for him to reach out and touch it.

...He doesn't touch it, though, because Roman's not his brother, thank you, he has a little more sense and survival instinct than _that_. Instead, he lets Janus wrap an arm around his shoulder and murmur reassuring nonsense while he sinks them both out of Anxiety's room.

They rise up in the most lush, beautiful greenhouse Roman has ever seen. There's just about every kind of flower Roman can recognize, and many more that he doesn't. Some look downright fantastical, moving on their own, glittering petals turning towards the room's occupants.

He must be staring, because Janus points to the corner full of the strangest-looking plants, the ones that move and flash with light. "Those are Remus' creations. He's made it a birthday tradition for me--every year, a new flower."

There's something wistful in Janus' smile as he talks, something immeasurably sad in his eyes. 

"He said he was working on his best one yet, for this year. But now, I don't know if he'll..." Janus trails off, voice just barely loud enough to hear. Roman realizes, suddenly, that with what happened between him and Patton, something similar must have passed between this Janus and Remus. He wonders if, back home, Patton has that same bone-deep sorrow in his expression thinking about _him_.

Janus mutters something Roman doesn't quite catch, but he can tell from the tone that the Side before him is upset with himself. Is Patton feeling this way? Will Roman get the chance to find out, the chance to forgive him, to make things right?

Suddenly, the temperature of the room drops, a shadow passing over the glass roof and blotting out the sunlight. Patton's room always grows warmer when he's unhappy, not colder, but Roman connects the dots nonetheless and hastily changes the subject.

"I wonder what Logan's room looks like. You--I mean, the Deceit I know--doesn't let most people in his room. I've certainly never seen the inside of it."

Roman doesn't miss how Janus' face darkens at the mention of his snakelike counterpart, but the cloud seems to pass, replaced with a different kind of unease.

"Logan doesn't let _anyone_ in his room. Even Patton's never been allowed in, and the two of them used to be so close... I don't think any of us could even look inside, not without his permission." Janus shakes his head.

"...Maybe I could get in. I mean, I'm not from this universe, maybe the rules won't apply to me!" Roman volunteers, partially for something to do and partially for a reason he's not sure he wants to voice. This version of Logan, of Deceit, hasn't done anything to break his trust. Still, there's a need to know, a hope that this could grant him some measure of peace, or closure, or _something_ , because it's the nearest thing he has to the Deceit that Roman knows.

Janus' eyes widen, and he begins to voice his objections, but Roman is already sinking out, eager for any kind of action, anything that will give him a feeling of control over his impossible circumstances.

He rises up, curious and hopeful, but is greeted by a metal door with "NO ENTRY" engraved where the nameplate ought to be in mechanical indigo lettering. Janus rises up beside him after a moment, sighing in relief when he sees that Roman is stuck in the hallway too. The door opens, and Logan sweeps into the hallway, long coat swirling at his ankles. Roman catches a glimpse of a couple computer screens and what looks like a control panel before the door closes, and Logan notices him staring.

His mouth opens, closes, and opens again. "...Good, you're here. Come with me, both of you."

Logan strides past him and down the hallway, leaving Roman little choice but to follow. It's a short walk to the common area, where Virgil and Patton are already waiting. Patton is set to wear a hole in the carpet with his pacing, and Virgil is sprawled on the couch and scribbling furiously in a notebook. Virgil's head jerks up when he hears them approach, his eyes darting around the group looking for something--or someone--that he doesn't find, judging by the frown that passes across his face.

"Well, you were _completely_ off the mark, Virgil--Ah, that is to say, there's no sign of Remus anywhere. As you theorized." Logan adjusts his tie, carefully avoiding Patton's wide-eyed gaze.

Virgil sits up, tucking his notebook away. "Yeah, I think it's not too much of a stretch to assume that Remus and this Roman swapped places. So now we have to figure out how to reverse it."

Roman tugs at the cuff of his borrowed shirt-sleeve. "This whole mess is probably my fault, but if my power did this, then my power should be able to undo it, right?"

Virgil tilts his head in thought. "Possibly. You might not have a strong enough connection to your powers, though--this isn't your Mindscape, after all. This version of Thomas doesn't know about this version of you, and Sides are typically more powerful when he's aware of them."

"But you can't introduce yourself to our Thomas." Logan is quick to cut in. "He's under enough stress as it is without knowing about... all of this."

He waves a gloved hand at Roman, grimacing slightly.

"What exactly did you do to get here?" Janus asks, just loud enough for him to hear.

Roman cringes. "I'm not entirely sure, to be honest. Before I went to bed yesterday, all I was thinking was that I wished things had gone differently. When I woke up, I was here."

"So you used your abilities subconsciously to imagine your way here, basically. I mean, that's what it sounds like." Virgil pulls out his notebook again and begins writing. "Oh, I'm gonna have so many questions for Remus when he gets back. If we get him back."

"You mean there's a chance he might not come back?" Patton whines, obviously distressed.

"Well, if this Roman's powers aren't at full capacity, the odds of a successful swap back to normal are pretty slim, as far as I can tell." Virgil grimaces. "Sorry, Pat, but the data doesn't lie."

Logan sighs. "I'm just as _thrilled_ to say this as I'm sure you'll all be to hear it, but I think we need our Roman to help jumpstart the process, so to speak. Give this Roman a boost to his creative powers, and thereby increase our chances of success."

"That's cool, talk about me like I'm not here." Roman mutters, feeling a strange sense of _deja vu_ as he does.

"But what if--!" Patton stops himself, then lowers his voice to a whisper. "But what if that ends up sending the wrong one over?"

Virgil nods. "With the Baron's unpredictability, there's obviously a chance that something will go wrong, but there's no telling what will happen if Roman doesn't--"

"My ears are burning!" A sing-song voice cuts through the air, and Roman recognizes the brassy baritone sound all too well. Patton turns at the noise, letting out a high-pitched yelp of alarm, and Roman peeks over the other Side's shoulder across the room to see, with his ears _literally on fire_ , exactly what he feared.

His own face grins back at him.


	6. Intrusive Thoughts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Roman comes face-to-face with the actual funhouse-mirror version of himself. Literally.

_His own face grins back at him._

Logan and Virgil both move to put out the fire at the same time, but Virgil's just a hair faster, summoning a fire extinguisher to blast the flames licking at the sides of the Baron's head.

The Baron's grin never falters as he's covered in foam, or as he shakes it off like a dog coming in from the rain (though some of it sticks to the high flared collar and puffed sleeves of his jacket), or even as he opens his mouth to speak.

"Gimme another shot, Hot For Teacher! I wanna see how much of it you can get in my mouth..." He waggles his eyebrows, and Roman has never wanted to throw up this badly in his entire life.

Virgil tosses the fire extinguisher over his shoulder, sending it back into Imagination-space, and gives the Baron a flat "No."

The Side pouts, but then--finally--he catches sight of Roman, and his million-watt smile is back. He pushes past the others to grab Roman by the shoulders and spin him around for a full three-sixty. Roman tries very hard not to wrinkle his nose at the brimstone-sulfur smell that seems to hover around his counterpart.

"Holy _fuck_ , V-Card, did you make me a clone? But my birthday's not for months! I must be dreaming!" He releases Roman abruptly and leans over to leer at Janus and Patton. "But is this _my_ wet dream, or one of yours?"

Janus turns about as red as the Baron's sash, the fabric barely visible under his garish brocade-and-leather jacket, and Patton splutters, trying and failing to find a response. The Baron laughs, the sound booming through the Mindscape. "Oh, you should see your _faces_ , really, you two make this too easy!"

He wipes away an imaginary tear as his laughter dies. "Speaking of easy targets, where's Remus, hmm? Where's the 'Prince of Garbage'? Eh? Princess Bride reference? Anyone?"

"Oh, you know what always confused me?" Patton finds his voice suddenly at the prospect of a change in topic, speaking up from where he's half-cowering behind Janus. "When Fezzik is pretending to be the Dread Pirate Roberts, why does he--"

"--Dress up like a monk? Yeah, that always seemed a little odd to me, too." Virgil finishes, frowning.

Logan clears his throat, and Virgil seems to straighten up--and if Roman thought this day was strange, seeing Virgil with decent posture is really the cherry on top of the whole weird sundae.

"Right, right. He's derailing, guys, ignore him." Virgil calls out, turning away from the Baron, but the creative Side is having none of it.

"Derailing like a train? Ooh, think of the explosions!" He gestures, spreading his arms, and makes a startlingly realistic imitation of a crashing sound with his mouth. "Now _that's_ where our special effects budget should go. We could do with a few explosions. Or twenty. Or just one really big one, the possibilities are endless. Ha-ha! Just call me Michael Gay. Y'know, like Michael Bay?"

In the stony silence that follows, Roman can just barely hear Janus mutter something about a headache, and the Baron must catch it too, because his eyes light up with _fire_.

"I could show you a _real_ headache, Heart-On..." He raises an arm, and a wicked-looking mace materializes in his hand.

"Remus is gone!" Patton blurts out before the Baron can take a swing.

The Baron freezes. Turns, slowly, to look at them all, and Roman sees that the back of his jacket is emblazoned with a large, complex logo that looks like a sword merged with a scorpion's tail and a lion's maw, and a pair of bat wings acting as the cross-guard. It's mesmerizing, the amount of detail that there is to drink in along with the gold accents and patterns that decorate the jacket, so much so that Roman doesn't register that the Baron is speaking again until he's mid-sentence.

"--gone? How? Did one of you do something? Whose skull do I need to bash in for this?"

"Whoa, whoa, easy there, Gay-me of Thrones!" Roman throws out a hand, noting somewhere in the back of his mind that while his Thomas (and by extension, Roman himself) has never actually seen the show, he can tell that the nickname does suit the Baron's appearance.

...If Edward from _Enchanted_ had been given a BeDazzler and then made a character on the show, anyway.

The Baron snorts out a laugh at the comment, but his eyes still have that dangerous gleam Roman knows all too well from sparring with his brother. "What, don't tell me this is _your_ fault! My face is too pretty to beat up, but if I have to..."

He waves his mace threateningly, but Roman stands his ground. "I brought myself here, and as far as I know, that's all I'm responsible for."

The Baron's eyebrows shoot up. "Responsible? I've never been called 'responsible' in my life--so who _are_ you?"

"I'm Thomas' Creativity." Roman shrugs, an aborted attempt at his classic princely pose. "Just... Not for _this_ Thomas."

This seems to stun the Baron into enough silence for Logan and Virgil to fully explain the situation, and after the whole story has been laid out (with a few interjections from Roman, because he's determined for the tale to be told _properly_ , and there is no universe he can envision in which Logan has any sense of dramatic tension) the Baron seems to sag a little, strangely quiet still.

"So what, he just... left?" The Baron manages eventually, looking so lost and vulnerable that for a moment Roman forgets what his counterpart embodies, forgets to loathe and revile all that he stands for, because he's suddenly reminded that this Side is still _him_.

"He left, Remus left me. _Again_." His voice wobbles, and his mace slips out of his grip briefly before he seems to recover, taking a blind swing with a roar of anger that fortunately only makes a dent in the nearest wall.

Before the Baron can do any more property damage, Roman steps in, grabbing his wrist tightly.

"He didn't mean to. He _wouldn't_."

And somehow, Roman finds that he _means it_. He knows his Remus talks a big game about 'getting rid' of Roman, but he also knows that Remus only hits as hard as Roman lets him, that there are days, too, when Remus follows him around like a big annoying mildly destructive puppy, because there are days when it's physically painful for Remus to be left alone. As awful as Remus can be, as much as he purports himself to be a villain, he'd never inflict that on anyone else, never leave them alone and sad and wondering _why_.

Nor, for that matter, would he. He can hardly stand his brother some days, he was upset when Remus was revealed to Thomas, but even if he'd known this kind of travel was possible, he'd never have done it on purpose. Remus is a pain, but he's family.

"Family." The Baron echoes, his arm lowering, and Roman realizes he's voiced that last thought aloud.

"You want to get back to yours, right? You'd kill anyone who stood in your way to get back to them, wouldn't you?" Roman isn't entirely sure what to say to that, suddenly trapped under the Baron's intense gaze, but he's not far off the mark, so Roman nods.

"Okay." The Baron nods back, his posture straightening, and Roman is struck with realization.

"You--you can help me do that, can't you?" He asks, and the Baron grins, running his free hand through his hair in what is supposed to be an alluring gesture but ends up looking far too theatrically exaggerated.

"Well, I _am_ a man of many talents..." He winks at Virgil over Roman's shoulder in another exaggerated gesture, earning an eye roll from the purple-clad Side. Roman can see through it now, the Baron's bravado, just as clearly as he sees through his own false confidence, and he can only smile, shifting so that his hand is on the Baron's shoulder rather than around his wrist.

"I know." He says simply, and the lack of any innuendo, or mockery, seems to stun the Baron into silence long enough for Roman to turn and address the others.

"Thank you--all of you." He fixes his gaze on Logan first, this strange, robotic Logan who is not so strange at all in that he pretends to be unfeeling. "Thank you for your care and concern."

Logan's face remains impassive, as far as he can tell, but he dips his head in recognition, crossing his arms in that defensive way that Roman recognizes. Next is Virgil, as snide and ill-tempered as the one he knows, with the same good intentions shining through a slightly different exterior.

"Thank you for your patience." Virgil cracks a familiar half-smile at that, and Roman smiles back before turning his attention to Patton. Patton, who is all at once the Side he's known for years and someone nigh-unrecognizable in his fear and sorrow and worry. The rainfall before the sunshine, on the cusp of familiarity. He's chewing his nails, staring back at Roman like a deer in the headlights.

"Thank you for your understanding." He tells this Patton, whose shoulders slump in relief as he offers a sheepish smile. Janus stands beside him, hands clasped in front of himself protectively, unreadable as he's ever been, but softer, lighter than Roman's ever known him.

"Thank you for sharing." He says, and watches Janus' freckled face turn up into a crooked but brilliantly hopeful smile.

Finally, he turns back to the Baron, who is still gaping at him, and extends his hands.

"Will you work with me?" He asks, and the Baron seems to catch on, eager to take the offered hands as the smoky scent that clings to him wafts towards Roman once more. Despite the discomfort (the Baron is strangely warm, and his grip slightly too tight), Roman smiles, and closes his eyes in sync with the Baron, thinking hard about his friends--no, his _family_ \--and the world he knows. He feels rather than sees the Mindscape slide away, feels the moment when the Baron's hands slip out of his own and something _changes_ in the air.

When he opens his eyes, the first thing he sees is his normal garb, complete with his signature sash, and he voices his gratitude for the change at the same time as another voice cuts through the swirling starry void he's landed in--Remus' voice.

"Oh, thank goodness."


	7. Creativity (again)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Roman finds a moment in the space between worlds to speak with an unfamiliar version of his brother.

_"Oh, thank goodness."_

The Side that has just spoken is decked in a flowy white shirt and forest green waistcoat, a light spring green sash across the whole ensemble and a short cape slung over his shoulders. It's strange how well this version of Remus matches Roman in style--together, they look as though they should be playing the princes in Into the Woods, Remus as the dashing prince climbing Rapunzel's tower and Roman the Prince Charming chasing after Cinderella.

But this is not his brother. This Remus does not belong in Roman's world, or vice versa.

Strangely enough, this Remus--the Prince--is looking at him like he's thinking the exact same thing, before he grins and waves.

"Some day, huh?" He asks, and Roman has to laugh at that, after all that's happened, finding himself grinning back.

"Yeah, tell me about it!" Roman shakes his head, thinking back on the day and wondering what the Prince standing before him thinks of Roman's room, Roman's family, Roman's world. What he did, what he said...

He unconsciously steps closer to the Prince, who mirrors the action, stirring up the stars at their feet as they move in sync.

They both pause, clearly searching for what to say next, to find the thing that will live up to the other's imagined expectations that will leave a mark, tie up the story of today perfectly. What they both end up saying instead is:

"They were really worried about you, you know."

He straightens up (as much as he can, ha ha) while the Prince blinks, startled.

"About me?" Roman finds himself asking, half disbelieving, half hopeful. "But, yesterday, I was so--"

"--yeah, I thought that about me, too, but..." The Prince shrugs, and Roman realizes that they've moved close enough together for him to reach out and muss the Prince's grey-streaked hair. "Turns out we're both loved and appreciated, who knew?"

The joke falls flat in the wake of yesterday's blow to both their egos, and Roman finds himself grimacing, understanding all too well the thoughts that truly drive the Prince's words. It's like having a mirror held up to all his weaknesses--but Roman can't turn away from them any longer, and neither can this Prince.

"Okay, I think we both need to stop with the self-deprecation, it's clearly not doing either of us any favors." He declares, and watches the Prince's brief face journey from denial through to acceptance with a faint smile. Remus has always been so expressive, has always worn his emotions and his thoughts on his sleeve without fear.

"You know, I'd like to be a little more like you." Roman says once the Prince is back out of his internal monologue. "Both of you, actually."

In a stroke of pure and perfect dramatic timing, it's only now that he catches sight of his Remus in an animated conversation with the Baron out of the corner of his eye, past the veil of glimmering stars.

He points them out to the Prince and takes in his not-so-secretly fond expression with a smile, thinking about how vulnerable this Side lets himself be, how readily he shows what he truly feels. And he thinks about his brother, how he willingly dives into the unknown and frightening, and the angles at which he views the world, experimental and _new_.

"I could stand to be a little more... open." Roman says simply, feeling that the word is at once too much and too little to encompass what he means.

The Prince nods, staring at his brother and his counterpart wistfully before turning his attention back to Roman.

"I could stand to be a little more bold." He says, giving Roman a pointed smile before shaking his head. "I guess today wasn't a total loss, if we both learned something?"

Roman smacks him-- _gently!_ \--on the shoulder, ignoring the warmth in his chest from the compliment.

"What'd I say about self-deprecation?" He teases, watching the Prince's expression shift into that irritated-pleased smile he knows all too well from the times he's won a play-fight against his brother.

Suddenly, the Prince is reaching up and mussing his hair, and it's such a Remus move that Roman's too distracted to react until it's happened. He raises an arm to defend himself, or to retaliate, he's not sure, but the Prince nimbly dodges and runs past Roman.

As he turns to keep the Prince in his sights, Roman takes an involuntary step backwards, and that's when he feels it--a light tug at his core, a pull towards home, his _real_ home.

The Prince seems to feel it, too, because his smile turns sheepish as he addresses Roman. "I should be going, I suppose."

Roman nods, struck with the guilty realization that he'd almost let himself forget about the task at hand--returning home. "As should I, it would seem."

He almost turns to look behind him, to search for the others in this inky, glittering void-space, or to walk away in the direction of the pull, perhaps, but whatever the action was supposed to be, Roman finds he can't bring himself to do it just yet. He doesn't want to face the Patton and Janus and Remus and Logan and Virgil that he knows, doesn't want to face the aftermath of yesterday's argument. And he can tell from the Prince's expression that the other Side is thinking the same thing.

Suddenly, the Prince speaks, sounding more serious than Roman thought any version of Remus could, but smiling all the same.

"Whatever happens, it's going to be all right in the end. _We're_ going to be all right."

The words hit Roman like--actually, like the _opposite_ of a ton of bricks. They don't even _hit_ , really. They lift a weight off his shoulders, so much so that he can physically _feel_ it leaving him as he takes in a deep breath. Sure, he could respond with some cynical comment about how the Prince can't know for certain, but it's far better to hope, and after his conversation with the other Janus today, Roman _has_ hope.

"You're right. We've got this. Both of us." Roman says, feeling the beginnings of a smile as he speaks. "Yeah. We've _got_ this."

The Prince nods in approval, or perhaps agreement, or perhaps both. He reaches out, clearly offering a handshake goodbye, but Roman laughs--they may not be from the same universe, but they're still _brothers_ , brothers don't shake hands--and he pulls the Prince into a hug instead.

He doesn't feel damp and sticky like the Duke always has, but he carries that petrichor scent that Roman knows belongs to his brother, and his arms wrap around Roman in that same familiar clingy-octopus way.

It's nice, if a little strange, but as much as Roman would be happy to stay a while longer, something in the air tells him it's time to go, that the moment in which the two of them can stay in this space is running short. The Prince must sense it too, because they both pull back at the same time.

"It was nice to meet you--all of you." The Prince says, and Roman nods, fighting the urge to duck his head and downplay the compliment.

Instead, he says, "Right back at you--and hey, maybe we'll see each other again sometime. You never know!" And Roman finds that he hopes, very much, that he's right.

He shoots the Prince one last grin before he turns and walks away, letting the starry void swirl up around him until the darkness wisps away into nothing and he's back in the common area of the Mindscape-- _his_ Mindscape.

The faces of his friends--his family--surround him, and Roman's grin brightens further. He's _home_.

"...It is _so_ good to be back."


	8. Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everything is back to normal. Sort of.

_"...It is **so** good to be back."_

As soon as he's spoken, Roman finds himself being tackle-hugged by Patton--and also by Virgil, which makes him question for one heart-stopping moment if he'd somehow been transported to a _different_ alternate dimension, but no, he's wearing his usual hoodie and eyeshadow and grumpy expression.

He glares at Roman, though there's no heat to it. "Don't scare us like that again, Princey."

Roman laughs, softly, a touch disbelieving but mostly just _happy_. He does his best to give both Patton and Virgil a reassuring squeeze (without doing the stretchy-arm-thing he knows Logan hates, which makes the process very tricky), and after a moment, he finds his voice.

"I'll try very hard not to."

Patton lets out a squeak and Virgil backs away hurriedly as his brother--his actual brother--charges at him, nearly knocking Roman off his feet as he clings. He is, as always, slightly sticky.

"You'd better." Remus says, muffled by the fabric of Roman's shirt, which he dearly hopes Remus is not chewing on. "Or I'll steal all your dirty socks and make a giant smelly Socktopus monster to run loose on your side of the Imagination."

The threat has no fire to it, and it's rather mild for Remus, so clearly the Duke felt Roman's absence more keenly than he expected. The realization that his brother truly _cares_ , despite their less-than-stellar relationship, knocks the wind out of him.

"A Socktopus... I kinda like that." He says once he can breathe again, and Remus immediately pulls back to stare at him.

"You _like_ \--but it's _my_ idea." Remus' eyebrows are raised as high as they can go--and then higher, until they detach and skitter like caterpillars into his hair. It's not even the worst thing Remus has done with his eyebrows, and Roman can't find it in him to give any kind of reaction aside from a fond smile.

"So? Not all my ideas are wonderful, I'll admit, and not all of yours are horrible."

Oh, he hopes that came out the way he meant it, that it's not one more accidentally cruel remark to add to his long, long list of mistakes.

Fortunately, Remus laughs, and releases him. "What? But I'm the _worst!_ Did you hit your head on the way back here, or something?"

Roman grins and shakes his head. "No, I'm pretty sure hitting me on the head is exclusively a _you_ thing."

To everyone's surprise, Remus reaches up and pats Roman on the head, the gentlest gesture Roman has ever seen from his brother. "And don't you forget it! Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some dirty laundry to steal, and a Socktopus to create."

He sinks out with a significantly less-sinister-than-usual smile, and Roman turns his attention back to Patton, who is looking at him with undisguised awe.

"What?" He asks, and Patton shrugs.

"I just--I dunno, when Thomas was young you and Remus were so close, but I didn't think you guys... Well..." Patton flounders for words, but Virgil seems to pick up on his meaning.

"...It's just weird that you two managed to have basically a one-hundred-percent positive interaction." Patton nods in agreement at Virgil's matter-of-fact statement, though Virgil is quick to switch up the tone with a sly grin.

"It's like, can we be sure that you're _really_ our Roman? Or is there a third universe where Sides got swapped out today?"

Logan is quick to jump on the question. "What _is_ the statistical likelihood of a third--"

"I'm sorry." Everyone's gaze turns sharply back to Roman at the declaration, and he nearly falters under the weight of their combined stares, but manages to pull himself together before his confidence collapses.

"I'm sorry to interrupt you, Logan, first of all. And I'm sorry that I've shown such terrible behavior towards Remus--and towards the rest of you, too--that you would think me incapable of civility or kindness where my brother is concerned. You all mean so much more to me than I've demonstrated in the past, and I'm sorry that it took me being sent to another world to realize that."

Patton's eyes flick towards Janus, briefly, and Roman finds himself locking eyes with the snakelike Side. He's not good at deciphering Janus' expressions, he knows, but the other Side is clearly shaken by the events of the day, and his genuine emotions are on clear display for once. There's sorrow in his expression, a touch of concern, but mostly there's hope, and more yearning than Roman would've expected.

Roman nods, hoping that the encouragement, the unspoken apology, everything he'd like to say comes across in the gesture and in his eyes, and it must translate, because Janus nods back, a smile briefly pulling at his lips. They'll talk later, make their proper apologies and fully discuss what's happened between them, but for now, there's peace.

Virgil is at his side suddenly, awkwardly patting his shoulder. "Hey. Um... I don't think that you--I mean, or, I didn't mean, it's just... Look, you and I, we're okay. Okay?" He sort of freezes mid-pat while he speaks, mouth twisting into a stilted sort of smile that Roman can see is an attempt to avoid cringing at the way he's stumbling over his words.

Logan appears on his other side, posture more hunched, less confident than usual. "Thank you, Roman. I believe I owe you an apology in return. I know that we have had our differences and disagreements, but I never intended..."

He trails off, looking down at his hands. Roman reaches for them both, shooting a smile at Patton as he recalls the last words they exchanged the day before. "Thanks, guys. It's okay, really. I know how you both really feel about me. I don't need to hear you say it, if you're uncomfortable."

Virgil frowns, taking Roman's hand in both of his. "You _should_ hear it, though, because--because it's good to be reminded sometimes, y'know? And clearly we haven't said it enough, that we, um. Care about you. Or whatever..."

He yanks his hands away from Roman's after a moment, pulling his hood up and over his eyes as his face reddens before he sinks out with a muttered apology. Patton opens his mouth, but Logan steps forward to speak just a second faster.

"I believe Virgil is slightly overwhelmed right now. I suggest we give him his space for the time being, and one of us can check in on him later today."

Roman nods. "I'm with Logan. It's been a weird day, he deserves a moment or two to compose himself, especially if he saw his alternate-universe self there while the other Remus and I were swapping back. Not that Logic-Virgil was bad, he was actually quite nice, but... anyone aside from Logan in the role of Logic is just hard to comprehend, you know?"

Logan, to his surprise, is _blushing_ , having detected the unspoken compliment in Roman's comment, before he seems to come back to attention. "Ah, yes, I believe we all encountered our alternate selves during that time..."

Roman opens his mouth to ask for more detail, to know what each of them thought of their alternate selves, when Patton gasps.

"I almost forgot about the cookies! Roman, gingersnaps are still your favorite, right?" A trifle dazed, Roman nods, and Patton races off. Janus manages a fond smile as he watches Patton leave, and Roman is reminded of the Morality he met today, the Janus who was so clearly protective of that Patton, and realizes that he really isn't so different from the scale-faced Janus in front of him.

This one is just better at hiding how much he cares, but he _does_ care.

"Go on." He whispers, just loud enough for Janus to hear, and the other Side turns to look at him sharply, searching him for some sign of malice or deception, but finding none, he turns with a swirl of his cape to follow.

Someone clears their throat in the ensuing quiet, and Roman turns to see Logan still beside him, now holding a notebook and pen.

"Would you mind--"

"Telling you everything?" Roman laughs as Logan arches a brow. "All right, Specs, take a seat and I'll recount my epic cross-dimensional adventure for your records."

Logan settles in, and Roman conjures up his sketchpad and a pencil. "Would illustrations be at all useful?" He asks, and feels some of his boldness start to fade, but Logan's approving nod restores it quickly.

So, Roman begins to speak, and to draw, and after a while he spies Virgil out of the corner of his eye, having crept back into the common area to sit and listen in.

Remus pops back up soon after, leaning over the couch to watch Roman draw, occasionally dipping down to ink in an overlooked detail or two with a ludicrously fancy quill that tickles Roman's nose every time it moves.

When Roman's just wrapping up his story, Patton and Janus return to the scene with gingersnaps and snickerdoodles to add to the tray of cookies on the coffee table, which Remus foregoes in favor of crunching down on pieces of broken glass because "That stick-up-his-ass Other Me grabbed most of the good ones. Y'know, I'd take you over him any day, Roman. I'd never have to fight _you_ for the thin mints, I know you hate 'em."

Roman pretends to think for a moment. "I don't know about _that_ , I'm sure I could develop a taste for mint chocolate..."

Virgil snorts from the other side of the couch. "Trust me, you don't wanna get between Remus and the few items of actual food that he likes."

"No, certainly not if you value your life." Janus says with a wry grin, and Virgil laughs softly. They lock eyes, caught in a silent conversation, but there's no real tension between them. It ends quickly with Virgil shuffling over to make room for Janus on the couch, where he sits stiffly for a moment until Remus clambers up into his lap, stretching across Virgil's legs in the process.

"I _do_ value my life..." Roman mutters around a mouthful of gingersnap cookie, watching with undisguised amusement as Janus and Virgil attempt to wrangle Remus into a more comfortable position for all three of them, while Patton helps Logan move his laptop away from the chaos.

 _Yes_ , he thinks, he values his life quite a lot, just the way it is.

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [Driven Sideways](https://archiveofourown.org/works/27572716) by [VorpalGirl](https://archiveofourown.org/users/VorpalGirl/pseuds/VorpalGirl)




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